Happy Other’s Day
Hi Friends,
I hope these last couple of weeks have been gentle to you, and I hope you found a way to honor Mother’s Day yesterday—however you spent it.
For me, Mother’s Day continues to feel… complicated. The last two years, I’ve been pregnant on Mother’s Day. And yet, yesterday, I woke up with a wave of sadness I wasn’t expecting.
It caught me off guard. Ian was already up in the bathroom, and out of nowhere, tears started falling. My chest felt heavy, like an elephant was sitting on it. I was desperate to cling to something—anything—that would ground me. And in that moment, my mind grabbed onto an old, dark thought:
“At least I’m not miscarrying on Mother’s Day this year.”
I had said the same thing to Ian the day before, and I think it took him by surprise. Maybe it sounded harsh, but in that moment, it was the only thing I could hold onto.
I knew I needed to move, so I got up and started brushing my teeth. Ian came in, and the tears returned. Through them, I blurted out, “I’m just so sad. I want to be a mom so badly.” He hugged me, and I cried. Once again, I said, “At least I’m not miscarrying this year.”
Ian—always a man of few words—didn’t say much. Sometimes that drives me crazy, but in that quiet moment, I understood what he was saying without words: Stop dismissing your pain. Stop minimizing the grief of losing our baby last year.
Later, I took Junior and Champ for a walk, and while I was out, I received the sweetest Mother’s Day text from our dear friends, the Hoopers. They’re walking through their own hard season right now, yet they still show up for us, even when life is heavy for them too.
In my response, I accidentally typed, “Happy Other’s Day, Anna!” Total typo. But Anna, in her beautiful, light-filled way, embraced it. She and her husband, Shawn, told me they loved the idea of Other’s Day.
That little accident shifted something in me. Other’s Day.
What a beautiful way to honor all the “others” for whom Mother’s Day is complicated. It’s not just about those longing for a baby. It’s for all the women walking hard, unseen roads:
✨ The ones struggling to grow their families
✨ The bonus moms
✨ The women who have chosen not to have children
✨ The ones who have lost children
✨ Those grieving their own moms
✨ The ones with strained relationships with their kids or parents
✨ The aunties, the mentors, the friends—those who mother in ways the world doesn’t always see
Other’s Day. A day to honor invisible strength, quiet heartbreak, and the many forms love can take.
So, from my heart to yours—Happy Other’s Day. 💕💕💕
May you feel seen, loved, and heard.
In other news, we’re beginning our next round of IVF this week. I head into the clinic on Friday for my baseline ultrasound and bloodwork. And, in true me fashion, I can’t get Eminem’s “Without Me” out of my head:
“Guess who’s back, back again?
Shady’s back, tell a friend…”
If all goes well, we’ll start our shots on Sunday, May 18. Retrieval will likely happen between Thursday, May 29 and Sunday, June 1. I’ve got all my appointments lined up—and yes, I booked acupuncture again on Mondays, Wednesdays, and Fridays. Did it help our outcomes last time? I can’t say for sure. But it helped me feel more relaxed, and right now, that feels like enough.
This time around, my mindset feels a little different. I know what to expect, so the nerves and anxiety are a bit less intense. But honestly? I don’t feel as prepared as I did last round.
Since our last retrieval, I’ve let myself eat and drink whatever I wanted. I haven’t been reckless, but I’ve been more relaxed than before. And I think it all circles back to my need for control. When everything feels so out of my hands, I grab onto anything I can control, hoping it might tilt the odds in our favor.
Of course, now I’m battling those familiar, nagging thoughts:
“Maybe our results won’t be as good because I wasn’t as disciplined.”
But the truth is, while taking care of your body matters, there are plenty of people who treat their bodies far worse than I do and still get pregnant every day.
So this week, I’m letting go of the guilt and shifting my focus to what I can do now. I’m committing to move my body in ways that feel good and to nourish it the best I can.
And I’m reminding myself that what we consume goes beyond food and drink. It’s what we read, what we watch, what we listen to, and who we surround ourselves with.
Over the next 2 weeks, I’m focusing on:
✨ Limiting social media
✨ Spending more time in my Bible, I have fallen away from my practice lately, and I can tell even in how I speak to myself
✨ Being intentional about what I watch and listen to—whether it’s music, podcasts, or TV
Because this journey isn’t just about protecting my body—it’s about nurturing my heart and mind, too.
And as I head into this next round, I’m holding space for both—doing what I can physically, while also giving myself grace emotionally.
If you feel like sharing, I’d truly love to hear from you:
✨ How did Mother’s Day feel for you this year?
✨ Have you ever found comfort in creating your own meaning for a tough day, like Other’s Day?
✨ What are some ways—body, mind, and soul—you protect your heart during hard seasons?
Your words might be just what someone else needs to hear today. 💛
Thanks, as always, for being here—for listening, for walking alongside us, and for reminding me that even in the messy middle, we’re never alone.
With Love,
Britt